Generally, multilamp photoflash units have been of either a cube or a linear array configuration wherein at least two separate sections are joined together to provide a housing member. For example, cube configurations are described in the so-called flashcube of U.S. Pat. No. 3,327,105 or the magicube of U.S. Pat. No. 3,730,669. Also, linear configurations are detailed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,857,667 or 4,017,728.
In the cube arrangements, a plurality of lamps and associated reflectors are mounted on a base and enclosed in a cubical transparent cover. The cover is then joined to the base by heat or sonic welding. In most linear arrays, a front and a back plastic housing member are formed of relatively heavy plastic, usually by injection molding, and secured to one another by interlocking or other well known fastening means.
Additionally, a pending application assigned to the Assignee of the present application, bearing U.S. Ser. No. 181,936, filed Aug. 22, 1980, and entitled "Multilamp Photoflash Unit" relates to a form of multilamp photoflash unit. Therein, a photoflash unit has a housing member with a back portion having a plurality of flashlamp-receiving cavities aligned in a single plane and direction.
However, it has been found that such two-piece structures requiring attachment therebetween are relatively expensive. Usually the individual pieces are necessarily fabricated from relatively thick plastic in order to retain the desired rigidity needed to provide a means for attachment therebetween. Obviously, such structures are expensive of not only materials but also of fabrication time, fabrication apparatus and assembly time and apparatus. Moreover, a flashlamp unit in a single plane and facing in a single direction tends to require added space as compared with an interdigitated flashlamp array having flashlamps in back-to-back relationship.